To learn more about Mike the Tiger, visit his LSU Mike the Tiger's Website.
Mike the Tiger: A Roaring History
Mike the First is the original mascot of LSU and he ruled the campus for over 20 years. This is also the legendary Mike who was kidnapped before a football game, cage and all, by Tulane and was returned just before the game with a newly painted green cage. Mike got the last laugh, however, when the highly favored Tulane team barely managed a 14-14 tie with LSU.
Mike lived well beyond the average life span of a Bengal Tiger: he died on June 29, 1956, it was declared “Black Friday” on the LSU Campus. After Mike the First, LSU has had six more Mikes. You can visit Mike VII in his habitat at LSU, by the Stadium.
The Bengal tiger has been the official mascot of Louisiana State University since 1936. But, how did the Bengal tiger become LSU’s mascot? Do you want to know more about all the six Mikes? How is the wild Bengal tiger population these days? Come to visit this exhibit to find out.
Short Facts
- Tigers are the largest of all cats.
- Cats are meat-eaters (carnivores), even your housecat.
- Tigers usually rest during the day and hunt at night when it is cooler.
- They usually hunt alone and may only eat once every few days.
- There are 7 types of wild tigers: Siberian, Caspian, Bengal, Sumatran, Javan, Chinese, and Corbett’s.
- More than 60 years ago in India there were 40,000 Bengal Tigers in the wild, now there are less than 3,300. They live mostly in Asia.
- Tigers are not fast runners, they use their stripes to hide and sneak up on their prey. They are, however, avid swimmers.
- Each tiger has distinctive striping patterns and two tigers can be told apart by the markings on their heads.
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Teacher's Corner
Ask your children or students questions such as:
- Where in the world do tigers live?
- What do they eat?
- How can you recognize one tiger from another?
- Why might this be important (for other tigers and for us!)?